As long as you are there part 3
by autumn-leaf16
Summary: The papers that Sayid took from Danielle turns out to be more then the ravings of a mad woman, but unknowingly to Sayid, he have engaged both his wife and friend in great danger when he starts to solve the equations. COMPLETE
1. What more can I want or ask?

_Author;s Note: Well, third part of my story. Once more, please read part 1 and part 2 first, and pardon me for my numerous typo and grammer mistakes._

_**October Sky:** Thank you for telling me about the annoymus reviews, I didn't even know that I could have them!_

_Warning: If you are a fan of John Locke or/and Boone, then you might be offended, as I don't like these two and have place them as rather unfavorable characters in my story. Also, if Religious themes and issues offend you, please don't read this as this story will have strong Christian views._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of lost, if I do, Sayid will come out way more._

From his hut on the beach Sawyer was able to see Minta performing her monthly routine of the last few months. She would craft a small bottle and seal the top after she inserted a letter in. It was really more of a note. Taking a copy of a cosmetic magazine that no one now want, she would write the simple message of "We are passengers from flight 815. We are alive and stranded on a mysterious island. Please find us.", over the magazine with a vivid.

She has been doing this once a month now, they still managed to keep up with the time by tallying on various woods- their calendar, even though the batteries on most watches had stopped.

It was now six month since they all took the ill fated flight, ending up on this island instead of their original destination. Some of the members in their community had been unlucky but in general, they were surviving well. Huts had been built on the beach while the caves were decorated, and of course- there was the golf course.

Sawyer watched Minta tossing the bottle into the ocean, he then felt a slight envy as she laid her hand over his other friend's, which was already resting on her barely swollen abdomen. She was now two month pregnant, on her way to become the second mother of the island.

His only friends on the island began to walk towards him, Sayid carrying his book in one hand while the other was holding Minta. Sawyer turned away quickly when the couple stopped to kiss each other passionately. It wasn't because he felt embarrassment, but rather, to hide the growth of his jealousy.

He didn't understand the strange feeling that was starting to swell in his heart, surely he was not in love with her! She was like his little sister that died, and she was also the wife of the man who had became his closest friend.

_(Blank)_

Sayid had took many maps and plans from Danielle's cave when he was captured by her, he probably could find a French-speaking person to help him but he did not want to tell anyone other then Minta and strangely Sawyer about the papers, perhaps they would get the false hope that they contained secrets of the island. He didn't think there would be any, as he was convinced that she was insane after sixteen years of solitude, after all, he himself was to some degrees not normal after fifteen years of soldiering.

"I found maps and random numbers along with the equations." Sayid had explained to Sawyer as he flipped his book open, which contained his own workings with pieces of papers inserted there. "Luckily…amazingly there is actually something that is useful…"

He smiled as he thought of his wife's pregnancy, in his joy at discovering the news he had picked her up to swing her around in jubilation, laughing and laughing! At the sight of Sawyer he hugged the man and then shook Hurley's hand energetically, when Sun and Jin arrived he almost kissed the two of them on the lips instead of the cheeks! All this time he was muttering incoherently, Jin-who knew a little English now, whispered to his wife: "Is my English so bad or is he speaking Arabic?"

"Sometimes I think I no longer care about being rescued." He said thoughtfully, thinking of the bottle being carried away by the tides. "I am happy as everyday I will wake up with you beside me, while every night I will go to sleep with you in my arms. We love each other and now the product of our love is to come.

"I have made peace with my past and know that I will never damn myself again. I am happy, Minta, what more can I want or ask?"

"I know!" she said, smiling in bliss. "I am so happy too, Sayid. This island made me realize the full depth of our love, and to bear a child…"

They kissed and then continued walking to Sawyer's hut.

"But you still plan to try the radio?" Minta asked, leaning on him slightly.

"I guess I do, I am trying for the sake of trying. But since it involves leaving you alone I don't like it." He said quietly. "The problem is that I need a total of three people and we can't involve any others due to the fear of disappointing them."

"The storage cave is the safest spot Sayid, as oppose to your place in the plain or Sawyer's spot in the jungle."

"At least take this." Sayid decided, wrapping her hand over his pocket knife.

At the sight of the knife she cringed and shook her head fiercely. Years ago she tried and almost succeeded in killing herself with that very same knife.

"What once almost killed you, might this time save you." He reminded her sternly, but tenderly.

Nodding reluctantly she tucked the object into the many pockets of her cargo pant, the hump covered by the loose folds of her top. Feeling more assured, Sayid gathered her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead.

_(Blank)_

"We are carrying out our plan at five right?" Sawyer asked, taking out the three fireworks he managed to gather.

"Yes, at five." Sayid laid his book down and started to turn it. There was various equations with notations in Arabic, as well as a few drafts of plans.

"No one want to look at a maths book Sayid." Sawyer said with a roll of his eyes, pointing to the alien Arabic words.

As Sayid continued searching for the right page something suddenly caught Sawyer's eyes. It was a picture of what must be a pendant, with very strange symbols engraved on it. Underneath it was various equations equaling to the sum of fifteen.

"I think this pendant is the key or something. Six runes/symbols, they turned out to be a number, so I think these six runes are the combination number of a safe or something." Sayid explained. "I worked out one for fun…"

"For fun? You have a sad life Sayid." Sawyer teased him.

"At least Sayid have a woman sharing his bed." Minta defended her husband with a wicked light in her eyes. "Unlike you, who have a boar."

"The boar randomly selected on me to haunt me! I was not…" Sawyer began heatedly.

At this moment Locke came.

"So Sayid, seems that you have a plan going on." He said easily. "I heard from Jack that you and Sawyer plan to go into the jungle for something."

"Yes, we have a project." Sayid said in equally casualness.

"Maybe you need some extra hand?" Locke offered.

"No!" Sawyer immediately said, he quickly covered his strong refusal by explaining. "Two is quite enough and we certainly don't want to derive the island of their hunters by involving them with our personal project."

"Well, this is certainly a first. I would have thought…"

"They are making something for me." Minta put in smoothly, not liking the way Locke glanced at her. "Sayid's present to me for our first anniversary."

"I see…" Locke's eyes scanned around laser like until they rested on the book. "Plans on how we leave the island?"

"No, just random workings and ideas." Sayid said, his voice very cool and calm, even though he was tempted to snatch the book away. "Calculations in regard to where we might be and how far off course we are…that kind of things. Nothing exciting"

"Mind if I take a look then?"

Sayid shrugged carelessly as he gestured to the book.


	2. Every man had a weakness

The picture of the pendant flashed like a neon light in front of Locke. The six symbols…the key! And he saw the first solution, the number that Danielle had worked out after a whole month of pure concentration…now Sayid had got the same answer in about the equal amount of time.

He didn't need her anymore.

Locke thought of the Frenchwoman again, how she had cockily refused to continue working out the answer that they had devoted themselves to search for, the answer everyone spent their whole life time to figure out, the answer their government sent them to find out.

They had it on their fingertip, as soon as Danielle solve the five other equations they would have got their answer!

But she refused to continue, she even ran away from them, she even stole the price they all worked hard to get. In the end, he John Locke, the hunter of the group had to hunt down the scientist.

Even though they captured her, they were still lost as she was the only one who knew the secret. They tried all form and mixture of bribery; threat; and even torture. In the end, she finally agreed to tell them when they used Alex…

Who would have thought that she would sink the whole ship instead?

But he had found a replacement at last, surely Sayid could solve the whole thing in less then a year's time…for that was the longest time he would wait. And even if he was not as skilled a mathematician as Danielle, Locke was convinced that a proper interrogation could finally force Danielle to slip her tongue.

"He must be on my side then, but how will that work?" Locke asked himself. "He distrust me, as does his wife and Sawyer, who seems to become his closest friend…Nor is Sayid a stupid man, no, he is the very opposite, he will not be a easy target to manipulate."

"Unless…"

Every man had his weakness, and Sayid's Achilles heel was actually very obvious. He loves his wife too madly and too much…

"What wouldn't you do for her?" Locke decided. "What wouldn't you do to avenge her? When the others condemn you for murder I will be the only one that understand, very easily you will give me my answer."

_Author's Note: Ok…second part, one of my new chapters that I just typed up. Basically one of my theory is that Danielle and Locke know each other. After all, Danielle might have been involved with the military (having rifles and all that) while Locke with his skills might have been somehow related to the military too. Basically, in this fan fic they are both in this team to solve this project, they are all representatives from various countries. Hopeful my later chapters should explain any rising questions._


	3. I must go to her

_Author's Note: Sorry about not having Sayid coming out in the last chapter. There will be flashbacks but not that many, Anyway, in this part and the next few chapters, I will have times on top of it. The time may not be the exact moment but they will be there as the story will not be in a chronological fashion and I don't want you guys to get confused._

_Morticia Black Rose: Hope you enjoy this one too!_

_October Sky: I am glad that you forgive me for what I will do to Locke/Boone. I was half afraid of having tones of their fans yelling at me._

_I guess I never really like Locke and I don't like Boone as he is kind of preventing Sayid and Shannon from being truly happy. As this is fan fic…_

(Blank)

**5.00pm**

"Five o.clock." Sayid muttered, looking at the watch he had borrowed from Jin. Despite the blooming friendship between them, Sayid and Minta still had to beg the Korean couple into lending them the watch. Sayid had to use the excuse of timing something in regard to fixing the radios.

They needed Jin's watch as it was one of the few watches that still functioned, because it was one of these watches that need to be winded, as opposed to Sayid's electronic watch- which had stopped working a month ago due to battery finally drying.

Sayid roughly figured out that from Sawyer's position five o'clock was when a certain shadow fall over a certain tree, while Minta could work out the time by the angle of the shadow at the cave. But he was in the middle of the plains, so he needed a watch.

The first firework blasted into the air, Sayid breathed slightly easier, now he only need to wait for Minta.

"Thank you Minta." He whispered when the second light flared, he quickly picked up the radio.

The bar of triangle flashed to it's maximum, seeing this Sayid couldn't help but to cry out triumphantly. Eagerly he began to call out, he almost chocked when a voice answered back.

"Are you really passengers from Flight 815?" the voice from the transceiver asked.

"Yes! There are about forty of us and we are all at this island! I do not know where it is but…"

Sayid was so occupied with answering the radio that he failed to detect the faint footsteps crawling toward him, otherwise it was very difficult for anyone to sneak behind him: a soldier with fifteen years'experience.

The club swung right down, making Sayid unconscious immediately. The radio dropped right onto the ground.

"Are you still there? Are you…" the voice was silenced when the club smashed down a second time.

(Blank)

**5:15pm**

Sawyer was the first to return to the storage cave. The trio had decided to meet at where Minta would be.

"Minta?" he called out softly. "Sayid?"

Even though an eerie silence echoed his words, Sayid still knocked on the cave before he entered. After all, he knew about his two friends' passion too well.

The cave was in perfect order, as it was when Minta first entered. Sawyer planted himself down on one of he left over chairs from the plane and tilted leant back. He wouldn't be surprised if Sayid had come back first and left with Minta, for all he knew, the two of them might now be making love in the middle of the plain or jungle.

Well, sleep was a good idea.

(Blank)

Sawyer was waken by the soft cries of a name, instinctively he grasped a piece of wood for protection. As he crouched to the left of the entrance he noticed that it was now nighttime.

When the name was repeated Sawyer dropped his temporary weapon but he was now very worried, it was Minta's name that Sayid was calling. And the only reason Minta would not wait for her husband would be if he came first.

Sayid stumbled into the cave, dumping the bag that consisted the radio down furiously, there was no more need of being cautious with it. "I fix this thing and it gets smashed onto the ground. I then fix it again and what happens? Someone whacks it to this lump!"

"Isn't Minta with you?" Sawyer asked urgently, then he noticed the layer of blood on Sayid's right hand. "What happened to you?"

"Someone sneaked behind me and hit me with a club." Sayid spat out, then the impact of his friend's word descended on him. "What do you mean where is Minta? Isn't she here? She said that she will wait for me."

"Maybe she is looking for you." Sawyer suggested, even though he himself doubt this optimism.

"We must find her." Sayid stated, putting a knife into his belt.

**7:00pm**

It turned out that Minta was the only one missing. Time tricked past and yet they still only gathered around the fire, creating concepts of what might have happened to her. Sayid was pacing around and muttering curses in Arabic. Sawyer was slightly calmer but he tone clearly revealed that he had the same impatience as Sayid.

"My wife have been kidnapped and yet all we do it talk!" Sayid snarled again.

"Sayid, we do now know that she is kidnapped. She might have simply got lost." Kate began.

"I know what my wife is like. She will never run off when she told me that she will wait for me." Sayid said crossly. "Some one kidnapped her and right now she is in danger. I must go to her!"

"Sayid," Jack attempted logically, "if someone did kidnap her then there will be signs of a struggle. You said that you know what she is like…"

"She can not struggle if the kidnapper threatens her with our child's life!" Sayid snapped.

"So the kidnapper is someone here?" Locke asked calmly. "Your wife is only two month pregnant, the condition is barely visible."

"Or it might be the 'other', I don't know! I don't care right now, I just know that I need to find her."

"Then we will go the caves and search for clues." Locke decided. "So we presume that she was either threatened to go meekly or that the kidnapper had a long time to tidy everything up. After all, you returned quite late didn't you?"

"I returned late but Sawyer was there since half past." Sayid said. "So I still think my theory is correct. She was kidnapped between the time frame of five and half past five."

"Sawyer was there…" Locke spelt the word out slowly, the southerner did not miss the glint in his eyes.

"The time frame might be larger then Sayid think…" Sawyer heard Jack whispered to Kate.

_Author's Note: I love the little hand gesture Naveen Andrews did in Episode seven when he saw the radio working, but I truly does not know how to describe it. I tried…but it was so bad that I decided to not have it. _


	4. Why are you doing this?

_Author's Note: Well, all Locke fans please do not kill me, as he is portrayed very negatively in this chapter. (I did warn you guys!)_

_Morticia Black Rose: Glad that you are another Locke fan who forgive me for making him evil._

_October Sky: Yeap, Sawyer is being set up and the problem is that he doesn't have definite proof of what he was doing, and things are about to get worse for him. Right now, it is just whether people would believe his words instead of Locke's 'suggestion'._

**5:00pm**

Minta quickly light the firework, letting the stream shoot through the sky like a trail of gold. Sayid would be starting his part of the plan soon.

"Hello Minta."

She spun around, her hand almost reaching for the knife in her pocket. She barely relaxed when she saw Locke, even though many others on the island trusted Locke, she did not.

"Yes?" she asked calmly.

"Lighting up fireworks?" the man asked back, sitting in front of her purposely with a cool deliberation. "Now, why would you do that?"

"Because I want to," she answered calmly. Inside her mind she was debating furiously, should she run out of here and join a crowd, or remain in the cave. Already she was feeling very nervous at the prospect of spending more time alone with this strange man. But she hated even the idea of breaking a promise to Sayid.

"So Sayid is at the plains, while Sawyer is in the jungle, and you are alone here." Locke said, his voice suddenly rather cold.

"Yes, but I am sure…" Minta's sentence ended abruptly as Locke pulled out a gun and without missing a beat, aimed it at her.

"Have you gone mad?" she finally whispered, not daring to even budge a single step as the gun was pointing at her womb- aiming at their child.

"No, although the gun might be accidentally fired, so if I were you Minta, I would be very careful."

"What do you want with me?"

"You will find this out later, for now…you better remain quiet."

Minta had to obey all Locke's instruction, which included putting a blindfold on and marching. She didn't dare to make any sound or struggle, as it was not just her life at stake.

She was guided into a cave, the way the ground's material changed slightly told her that. She felt a strand of slender rope tied around her hand, afterwards she was forced to sit down.

But she cried out when Locke took her hand and tried to grab her wedding ring off her finger.

"No! Please, not my wedding ring!" she begged, since the day Sayid first proposed to her, she had only took it off once, and that was to put it on once more at their wedding ceremony.

The piece of metal was cruelly wrung out of her finger, leaving her sobbing at last. The ring had always served as a reminder of Sayid whenever he was absent. Sayid doesn't know, but often his wife would think of him by pressing the ring against her cheek, or gently touching it.

"Why are you doing this?" she finally whispered.

"Because," Locke said simply, "I need Sayid to be on my side."

**6:00**

Minta tried to free herself by rubbing her tied wrist against a piece of rock repeatedly, but it was useless.

Surely Sayid would notice her absence now! Although they might not believe she was kidnapped as there would be so signs of a struggle.

At the approaching of the footsteps she tried to grab the knife in her pocket but it was no use, the ropes were too tight.

The blindfold was tore off but much to her surprise, it was not Locke or even Bonne. She knew it was not Sayid because he would surely tell her. Instead, she saw a woman.

The woman had long brown hair that was slightly tangled, falling over her stained top. A knife was jammed into her belt, while a rifle slung over her shoulder. Her eyes was dark and grim, but yet it was not unkind.

"Danielle, Danielle Rousseau." She whispered. "I have heard about you from Sayid."

"Sayid…" the French woman in equal softness. "I might have heard about you from Sayid too. Are you not Minta? His beloved wife.

Minta nodded. "Will you help me?"

Danielle grabbed her knife out and sliced off the rope around Minta's wrist, but with her free hand she pushed Minta downward, forcing her to remain sitting down.

"I cannot take you back to the cave as that might result in both our death." Danielle said grimly. "You don't know what John Locke is capable of. The best solution is for you to wait here with a weapon while I go and fetch Sayid. Hopefully, they will not kill you with a gun, so you might have a chance of fighting back."

Minta shivered slightly, she was afraid, but understand that she must be brave. Wrapping her hand over Sayid's pocket knife she nodded in agreement.


	5. He will not hurt her again

**7:10pm**

Sayid forced himself to wash down the small chunk of boar that Jack had gave him, he couldn't starve himself due to his worry, he needed to eat to keep uphis strength. But he had to chew these meats into lumps before he could swallow.

Locke was bending down and carefully examining for the lightest hint of a signal. Suddenly he frowned, and grabbed Sawyer.

"What…" Sawyer had barely spoke when Locke triumphantly yanked something out of his pocket.

"Surely you will recognize this Sayid."

The distraught husband reached out his hand to grasp the object, his fingers wrapped aroundcool metal. He knew the object very well, he could drew up every detail without once looking at it.

The band of gold had four small sapphires at the very top, curving around a tiny diamond to form a flower. He had slaved himself away in order to give that ring to Minta, as well as cutting down all of his expenditures for the purpose of buying the wedding ring.

"She would never take her wedding ring off unless she was forced." Sayid whispered. "She is kidnapped."

"Why would you have Minta's wedding ring?" Jake demanded the Southerner.

Sawyer was staring blankly at the ring that had mysterious appeared in his pocket. Turning around he saw that every single person was glancing at him accusingly…no, not everyone..

"You are asking him the wrong question Jack," Sayid interrupted, "You should ask 'What have you done to make someone put the ring into your pocket'. Someone is trying to frame him."

"Frame him?" Michael said in disbelieve. "Man, it is obvious that Sawyer is the kidnapper."

"No." Sayid repeated again, very quiet but very steady. "He did not do it. He will not hurt her again."

"How can you trust him after he tried to withdraw her inhalers?" Jack began, but was interrupted by Sawyer, who muttered a fierce oath and leapt at Jack. The two of them immediately engaged into a fight, one that would last very long.

Shaking his hand Sayid spat out something in Arabic, grabbing a rifle he stormed out of the cave.

"STOP THIS!" Sun yelled. "STOP THIS!"

Her husband bent down and grabbed Sawyer back, while Hurley tried to do the same to Jack.

"STOP IT!" Sun continued. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Minta is still in danger and you two are fighting instead of helping Sayid, who has just gone into the wilderness by himself!"

"We'll find him," Locke announced for himself and Boone.. "but it is probably too dangerous for anyone else to go."

"I am going to help Sayid too." Sawyer snapped, glaring at everyone defiantly.

"Then you stay with us throughout the whole hunt." Locke ordered.

Before Locke left though, he quickly drew Jack to his side.

"Do you think Sawyer…" the doctor began.

Locke nodded. "Have you not notice the way he stares at Minta? Jack, he is half in love with her and like everyone else on the island, he knows that Minta and Sayid only loves each other."

"But this is mad!" Jack muttered. "I know that Sawyer's line of moral scruples is lower then all of ours but surely, kidnapping someone is going to far!"

"Love is mad Jack," the other man shrugged. "If you think about it, what Sawyer did is not that surprising if he believes himself to be deeply in love. He kidnaps her and threatens her, and if he does harm him that he strikes both at the woman who doesn't love him, and the husband that stands between them."

"I don't believe…" Jack repeated again.

"Jack, you have to face this. This island is giving many opportunity that many people wouldn't have thought of before."


	6. You have to save her

_Author's Note: Gosh, I found this fan fic rather hard to write. I have never been good at doing suspense or mystery of any kind. I hope the explanation in this chapter kinda make sense. I usually update once a week at the weekend but occasionally I might submit at the weekdays, but this is quite rare-until my holiday finally start._

_Morticia Black Rose: I clicked on your biography the other day to see if you had written anything but you haven't! You seem to review quite a lot of stories, but why don't you write one yourself? I'd love to read it._

_October Sky: You first review really made me laugh (in the good way).  Wow, I was really amazed that you think this is a good story, I was so worry about this one as I kept on wondering whether everything made slight sense and all that. (I still haven't read your new story- another holiday goal)._

**7:20pm**

Sayid had only took a few steps into the heart of the jungle when he detected another presence. Immediately, he hoisted his rifle and aimed at the right direction, stating very coldly: "Come out and make it quick or I will shoot."

The person who stepped out was the last person Sayid expected to see right now. Her trousers were still patched and torn, her hair falling in masses of tangled webs. Naturally, she was carrying a rifle. Only that she was leaning on it instead of pointing it at him like the last time.

"Danielle, what do you want?" Sayid asked bluntly.

"To help you." The Frenchwoman said sincerely. "Even now your wife is in the cave, waiting for her captors' return with fear and dread despite being armed with a knife. I can not save her by myself, I need you there."

"I must be mad to trust you but what else can I do?" Sayid decided after a minute or two, he knew that he must think carefully but yet on the other hand time was running out. He put his gun down. "Take me to her and tell me, who did this?"

"John Locke, but before we go, drink this." Danielle threw a small vial to Sayid, reflexively he caught it.

"What is it?"

"You must drink it Sayid, Locke has tampered with your food in order for his plan to carry out. Affected by the drug- made by a unique herb on this island you will fall into his plans, unless you drink my antidote. Trust me Sayid, also you have experienced with this drug before."

"I will trust you, even though you used this drug to torture me." Sayid said grimly, drinking the small vial down.

Danielle nodded and led Sayid away from the main path, she took him into a secret route that Sayid had never knew of its existence, for the trees concealed the space of the path's tiny clearings.

"I had been spying on John Locke after I helped your wife to loosen her bond. He wants you to be on his side, and he will gain it by killing your wife." Danielle explained to Sayid.

Sayid openly cringed, and he tightened his hold on his weapon. "Harming the one I love will hardly be a wise strategy."

"But he will not be the one that killed her. By giving you that drug you will see hallucinations and lose all your self-control- you should still remember. Locke will find you and lead you to that cave where you wife is. You will see Sawyer stabbing her to death and then you will probably pass out. When you wake up you will be at the caves with your companions and Locke is the hero that saved you and captured Sawyer."

"And I will lose what friends I have by my desire of killing the man who murdered my wife. Even the most understanding friend will not be able to forgive me for killing a man in cold blood." Sayid realized. "But Locke would support me…"

(Blank)

Meanwhile, Sawyer found himself being closely watched and guarded by both Locke and Boone. He was defiantly maddened with the whole world as everyone apart from Sayid assumed that he was Minta's captor.

He was set up, but why would they do this? It was true that he was not the most popular personage on the island but why would anyone kidnap Minta just to frame him?

Even if he announced his true feelings for Minta they might still believe that he was making it up to wriggle out of the situation, even worse they might think he was hurting her because of this. But the real reason that prevented him was the fact that he didn't want either Sayid or Minta to know about the truth, that he did love her with more then the original brotherly affection he had.

"For the last time, I did not kidnap her!" Sawyer snarled. "I don't even know where she is!"

"Of course you didn't." Locke said very easily, causing the other man to stumble. "But I am afraid that you will have to be the one that did it."

"What are you talking about, YOU PSYCHO!" Sawyer yelled.

"You being Sayid's friend is threatening my plans to collapse due to your eager wish of departing. So I figure the only way to stop this is to let you be Minta's killer."

"YOU CRAZY RETARD!" Sawyer continued cursing as he slowly got up. "YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND!"

Locke nodded briefly, the signal for Boone to smash the club down for the second time of the day. Sawyer was immediately unconscious, sprawling onto the ground as Sayid did.

"This seems to be all I do." Boone complained as he and Locke lifted the body up. "Sneaking behind with a club."

"I would let you do the vital task of killing Minta if there is no worry of you not being able to do it." Locke explained patiently again.

"Why wouldn't I be able to kill her? I hate her. If it isn't for her…" Boone whispered brokenly. "My sister will still be alive. I hate him too, for letting Shannon die in front of him.

_Flashback_

_Since the plane first crashed, everyone was in a state of panic. Sayid had been trying to dug his wife out of the wreckage that surrounded her. her ragged breathings warned him the possibility of her getting an asthmatic attack._

"_Minta, I will get you out of there, I promise!" Sayid yelled as he literally tore the scrap metal with his bare fingers._

_The very end of the wreckage hissed softly, slowly lighting up with the faintest whisper of fire. Knowing that time was running out Sayid openly cried out a prayer, throwing himself onto the pile of stubborn metal._

_A few steps away Boone was there with his sister lying very still in front of him. After his vain attempt of CPR, the man turned to the nearest man in his sight: Sayid._

"_You have to save her." Boone pleaded._

_Sayid angrily shook off the man's grasp and continued his task of breaking the metal prison._

_Minutes later, the thatch was finally wrung apart. Crouching in, Sayid took his wife's arm and hurled her out. She was so pale with fright that she didn't protest at being held by him at all. Her face was caked with ashes while her hair was completely disarrayed, but she was alive._

_Sayid folded his arms around his wife and thanked God with all of his heart._

_Boone was not so lucky._

_He shook Shannon one last time, even though he knew that she was dead. Turning around he saw the man who might have saved his sister. The man was now embracing another woman, clearly the woman who was living on Shannon's life._

_Author's Note: Jeez, I sound like I'm a Shannon-hater, but I'm not. As I said before, I actually really like how Shannon and Sayid got together. I even think Sayid might love Shannon more then he loved Nadia. But that's not the point: the point is this is what happened to Shannon in my story, before I only intended her to just be a none important, rarely appearing character as Minta is kind of replacing her role, but not fully. Then I choose to kill her off due to the plot's necessity. Shannon fans please don't' hate me._

_It sounds pretty unreasonable for Boone to blame Sayid and Minta for this but I guess it does make sense, you want to blame someone due to the what if possibility._


	7. It is alright now

_Author's Note: Alright, here is it: my idea of what is in the hatch and why Locke want it so much._

**7:30pm**

She heard footsteps again but this time she was not afraid, as she could actually recognize the footsteps and panting breaths.

"Sayid…" she whispered.

"We don't have much time." He told her, taking her into his arms he quickly carried her out of the caves, not once failing to notice how she was shaking.

Danielle was standing guard outside the cave, waiting for the appearance of Boone and Locke any second. Minta heard the Frenchwoman muttering something to Sayid, but Sayid was too busy whispering soothingly to her, telling her that everything was alright now.

Sayid laid her down right beside his hiding place, he didn't remove her blindfold as she would not want to see what would soon happen. Bending down he promised her again: "We will soon go back and everything will be alright, but we must take care of Locke first." Her tear streaked cheeks jabbed into his heart, the worst part was that he could do nothing to stop their flowing, yet he must. "Minta…please listen to me.

"Don't be afraid, there is nothing to be frightened off. I want to you to think of the other time when you were blindfolded, remember the day that I asked you to marry me? I want you to think about that day, just think about it."

Her breathings calmed down to a faint breeze while her body no longer trembled so violently. As she became even more lost in her memories, she became very still, she would be unable to be detected if no one searched for her.

She could no longer hear the faint footsteps that were growing louder, or the crocking of the weapons, all she could hear was the same wave and wind that had greeted her before Sayid's proposal.

"Well, you go in then." Locke said calmly, confident that his plan would work. "I'll watch him." Referring to Sawyer, who was still unconscious, a lump at Locke's feet.

"I'm going to kill her the same way Sayid killed Shannon." Boone vowed, looking down at his bare hands.

Upon entering the cave Boone let out a loud scream of anger: she was gone, the discarded piece of rope seemed to mock him and his goal of avenging his sister.

He then heard the cocking of a gun.

"Hello John, no time no see." Danielle said very pleasantly, stepping out she immediately pointed her rifle to Locke, who aimed his gun at her.

"Danielle Rousseau." Locke spat the name out venomously, "You always have to intervene with my plans don't you? When we finally discovered the price we searched so hard for you had to ran away with it, then you sank the whole ship.

"Yes, I did it. And I killed Robert when you made him come after me." Danielle said sadly, "But Locke, you still don't understand don't you? Some questions are not meant to be answered." Her eyes lingered to the pendant that dangled from her neck. "When you landed back on the island you know that you are here, and you want to find this again."

"I will know the answer Danielle, you will not stop my second chance." Locke yelled, edging closer. "I will know the answer that solves the greatest mystery of life, I will have that pendant Danielle."

"How? You know that you cannot kill me as I am the only one who can decipher the riddle on the pendant, and Alex is not here anymore." She mocked, and Locke longed to slap that smile away.

"No, you are wrong. There is another one the island who can solve the riddle," he said- his moment of triumph has finally came. "Or at the very least he can make you cooperate."

The bullet was fired.

Looking down Locke saw the blood oozing very fast, yet there were no smokes around Danielle's rifle.

"You are not the only one who sneaks behind a man, and you are wrong too. I have no wish of helping you." Sayid said quietly and quickly, he had fired enough times in the firing squad to shot Locke straight in the heart.

It would be over in an instant.

Boone finally ran out, seeing his fallen mentor and his killer, he let out a scream and charged at Sayid.

"Don't do this Boone, I have no wish to harm you." Sayid said flatly, not lowering his gun as he knew he would have to shoot again. But from what he had heard, he now understand why Boone hated both he and Minta so much, he could despise Boone for wanting to hurt his wife but he could not fully blame the younger man as he knew how it felt, when you wanted to place blame on a bystander due to a 'what if?'

"You killed my sister!"

The gunshot was only meant to be at the feet, crippling instead of killing Boone. But Boone made the mistake of charging at Minta, in desperation the frightened woman stabbed him with the pocket knife clenched in her hand.

A thick stream of blood sprayed out, the knife struck right into a vein.

"Fool," Sayid whispered hoarsely as Danielle rushed to the fallen man and tearing a piece of cloth, pressed it over the bleeding spot. "If our place was swapped you would have done what I did. Boone, if you were rescuing Shannon and I came up to you to demand you to help Minta- would you have abandoned the one you love?"

Boone looked at the man thoroughly and finally realized his mistake. It was ironic, how all this might have been prevented just by these two sentences.

"I am sorry Sayid." He croaked out. "I am sorry for causing all this."

"That was John Locke." Danielle corrected. "He used you as he had used Robert…my husband."

"Alright, I'm going to wake Sawyer up, and then he and Danielle will carry you back to the caves, and hopefully Jack can help you." Sayid decided.

"Sayid…please, just do this one thing for me, let me die, you know I will die. I want to go, I don't want to stay here anymore." A faint smile appeared on his lip. "I can see Shannon, and she is finally willing to admit her feelings."

"You are going back to the camp first, you have to tell everyone what happened." Sayid said grimly. "Sawyer is still labeled as a kidnapper, I want you to proof his innocence. At the very least you own him that much."

Turning away from all of them, he went to his wife. She was half sitting with his pocket knife tightly clenched in her hands. Her face was completely pale, and surprisingly it was dry.

Taking the pocket knife Sayid carefully whipped the blood away on his pants so he wouldn't get his hand soiled, as he used them to pick up Minta once more. In his arms, she was so much more stiff and fragile.

"Minta, it is alright now." He repeated, finally taking the blindfold off. She didn't even know what she had done, he would make sure it remain that way. He would tell Jack that he was the one that stabbed Boone and they would believe him, his wife would never learn that she was responsible for killing a man.

"Sayid, is it all over now?" she whispered, her dark eyes staring right into his heart.

"Yes, it is all finished, we are going back to our hut." He whispered. "You can close your eyes and sleep Minta, I will watch over you."

As her eyes closed the first tear fell. Now she could finally release all the tears that had threatened to spill. Leaning onto Sayid she began to weep, finally able to release her emotions.

All this time Sayid carried her in his arms and repeated: "It is alright now."

_Author's Note: In this story Robert was killed before they got on the ship. Just like to point that out. I don't know if Robert was her husband or lover as anniversary can be applied to a unwedded couple too, but I'm saying that they were married. The pendant and the hatch will be fully classified in the next chapter._


	8. I already found the answer

_Author's Note: Now that Minta is rescued I won't be having the time on top anymore, the suspense is over, this chapter is dealing with the hatch: my version. Be warned: this involves religious issues, well actually it is just Sayid being religious. The next chapter is the last chapter, and it is really just more fluff._

_Morticia Black Rose& October Sky: so you guys both like the bit when Sayid talked about how he proposed to Minta,  Well I just want to point this out, in my next story (if I put it up) I will be showing the proposal in Flashback. Once again, thanks for the immediate reviews. It really cheered me up after I had such a bad day at school._

As Boone himself predicted, he died very shortly after he was taken back, but it was not before he had time to tell everyone just what John Locke intended to do. Sawyer was proven innocent but he could not forgive how easily everyone had been willing to condemn him. Funnily, the only one who believed him was the man who had once tortured him.

Yet he was absent from the gathering, Sayid was in his hut, guarding his wife. Even in her sleep, she clutched at him tightly.

Hearing footsteps Sayid quickly picked up his knife, after what happened, he wasn't going to take any chances. In some ways it was ironic, he had once thought of himself as the only one with a secret to hide, but as their time on the island lengthened he discovered just how wrong he was.

"Sayid…" Danielle began softly, glancing at the sleeping figure lying against him.

"She is asleep." The husband said softly, "But I will not leave her. If you have anything that you wish to say to me, and I believe that you do, then you will have to tell it to me here."

Danielle darted around carefully to make sure that no one was eavesdropping, before she sank onto the floor next to Sayid.

"After what happened to you and Minta I think I own you an answer." She began, once more her hands were fiddling with her pendant.

"On this island there is a hatch, a hatch with six buttons on it, with the keys of 4; 8; 15; 16; 23 and 42. On this pendant are six symbols…"

"Which have equations that worked out to a number." Sayid whispered. "So one you worked out all six symbols then you have the order of combination to open the hatch, Locke want to open the hatch…"

"IT MUST NEVER BE OPENED!" Danielle's scream caused the sleeping Minta to steer slightly. Sayid quickly stroked her hair, rocking her.

"It must never be opened." The Frenchwoman said, this time softly but still very flat. "This is why I ran away from my team, and even drowned the whole ship and abandoning my…my Alex.

"I had to leave because I cannot let anyone get the pendant and risk the chance of opening the hatch…"

"Then why not destroy the pendant? Then you will be free."

"Because…" Danielle moaned, her hands almost trembling. "Because I want to know the answer.

"What answer?" Sayid said, he felt as if he was back in her cave again, when she kept on answering his questions with more riddles.

"I now know that something is never meant to be discovered, like this! But yet even as Locke wants to know it, even as my own husband wants to know it, I want to know it myself. "She broke into loud sobs, the pendant squeezed tightly into her clenched fist. Finally she took a deep breath and looked at Sayid straight in the face. "The answer that solves the greatest mystery of life…if I can open the hatch then I will know how life starts.

"Even though I know that I should not try to seek the answer, part of me is tempted to know. Even though I have never worked out another equation, I do not have the strength to destroy this pendant either."

"The answer of life…" Sayid repeated the phrase softly. "Give it to me Danielle; I will destroy it for you."

"You think I haven't tried to destroy it myself? I threw it in the fire but I then thrust my hand into…" she broke into a sharp hiss when something touched her bare throat: Sayid's pocket knife.

"Give it to me Danielle." He repeated once more.

Looking down Danielle saw that it was not the blade that touched her throat, it was the opposite end, and if she tried to struggle then the blade would stab into Sayid's vein.

"What…"

"I want to help you." Sayid whispered. "Please Danielle, give it to me. If I am tempted then you can easily kill me."

The pendant dangled but eventually it dropped onto Sayid's hand.

Taking a lighter Sayid simply pressed the pendant onto the fire with not one hint of regret, Danielle trembled at first but as the metal started to coil and burn, she cried in relief.

"There, Danielle, you can stay with us." Sayid said quietly when nothing but charcoals remained. "You do not have to be alone anymore."

"Thank you Sayid, thank you." She whispered. "Thank you so much."

Sayid smiled sadly as he looked at his wife, she almost lost her life as well as that of their unborn child just because of a man wanting the answer to a simple question. He touched the golden cross on her neck before he spoke.

"I already found the answer."

_Author's Note: Ok, it is religious based but I want to point out a very important thing, note that I- the author- have not add my own judgment into it, although I am religious myself. It is only Sayid's view, and it might not be right . The hatch does tell you the mystery of life, which is how life start and the purpose etc, but it can be of the theory of any religion, if it is religious, cause it might be scientific too. I leave it up to you all to interpret and choose._


	9. I will always be there

_Author's Note: In my story Claire haven't lost her memory- I thought I'd clarify that incase of any arising confusion._

"She is awake now." Sun told Sayid, "I think Claire really helped her."

"It's because I can understand what she went through, having been under the same situation." Claire said. "I think she really just need you Sayid."

Inside, Sayid found his wife leaning against the wall, her shawl draped rather sloppily onto her as one shoulder was bare. Her face was rather pale but she seemed to have regain her composure as there was no signs of tears.

Sitting down Sayid put her onto his lap, hugging her tightly.

"Sayid…please don't go away." Minta whispered. "I'm not afraid as long as you are there."

"I will always be there." He promised her again. "Haven't I always been there?"

_Flashback_

_The rain was dripping through his roof, even outside his house Sayid could hear the noise. Even though he had taken special care this morning to place some rags on top of the metal pans to silence the chiming._

_Behind him, Minta got out of the van with her small luggage, swallowing nervously she laid her hand on Sayid's arm._

"_Well the top floor is quite old so it isn't the best quality." Sayid's landlord, also his employer, said. "It used to be a storage room, I shouldn'__t even charge Sayid for it."_

"_No, I can pay the rent." Sayid interrupted. "Since you didn't fire me for what I am doing, having an ex-student moving in with me."_

"_You can be legally involved with your student as long as she is not your student anymore." His friend told him, "Beside, I am being a friend and a landlord, not your employer. There will be rumors…"_

"_I don't care about the rumors." Minta spoke for the first time since her parents threw all her luggage at her in the hospital. "I don'__t care about it all."_

"_Well, Sayid will show you his home then as I have to go now. But I'll pick you and Sayid up for church tomorrow at about nine."_

_Waving his friend farewell fondly, Sayid took Minta's suit case and draped his spare arm around her. Together, they began to walk up the stairs, the cobwebs started to increase as they almost reached the top._

"_I've only been living here for about two months so…" he began to apologize but she silenced him by whispering: "I honestly don't care, no place can be worse then where I came from."_

_The other residents of the apartment used to store all their unwanted stuff in this room, but his Christian friend who owned the building had been kind enough to give this level to Sayid for a very cheap rent._

"_This is the kitchen." Sayid began nervously, for the first time he saw how old and obsolete his equipments actually were. Having escaped from Iraq, he was just glad to have a roof over a room but now that she was living here…_

"_There is a bit of a leak but it isn't that bad." He said, he then went to the stove and switched it on. Immediately that whining noise came._

"_It does this for the first five minutes but it is perfectly workable, and the bathroom is over there. The shower needs five minutes to warm up too but in the morning a cold bath is quite a good way to wake up." He continued, growing nervous as she was about to see her room._

"_This is your room Minta, since we are not um…" he began, feeling the blush covering his usually dark skin. "Well you know what I mean, so this is your room, my room is across the hallway."_

"_I know what you mean." Taking a deep breath she opened the door._

_Stepping into her new room she cried_

_Sayid had especially decorated the once empty room for her, the furniture were second handed as he was not rich enough to simply waltz into a retail store, but he had spent the whole day selecting everything. But the best part for Minta was the dressing table, the way the old rosewood shone made it look an object from a fairy tale, the mirror seemed to be a portal._

_The wall paper were a soft blue one, resembling the waves of the sea._

"_I feel as if I am a princess." She whispered, touching everything with wonder. "This room…this is to be my room?"_

"_Yes, and I hope you'll like it." Sayid said softly._

_Spinning around she kissed him._

"_No one has ever done this for me, I feel as if I am truly loved." She told him when she finally drew back from their kiss._

"_I love you." He assured her._

"_Oh Sayid, as long as you are there I think I can brave everything. I love you too." She added the last bit shyly._

_Embracing her Sayid kissed her again, in this very moment he knew that he would marry no other woman saved for her, he would wait for a long time as he want her to say yes when she truly shared his feelings._

_It would be a long wait but it would not be hard, he was content to just hold her and kiss her._

"_I will always be there." He promised her._

At the next morning, the island saw Minta and Sayid walking out of their hut hand in hand, she was blinded folded once more but the difference was that they were both laughing again.

"We'll just get our 'orders' from Sawyer." Sayid told his wife.

"But I want to know what the surprise is!" Minta protested lightly, guided by Sayid.

"Then it is not a surprise." Sayid reminded her. "Ah we are here!"

Minta almost tripped when she accidentally trod onto a piece of thin plastic, seeing this Sayid picked her up.

"What happened to your tent?" he asked Sawyer, who was busily picking up all the numerous rubbishes between his curses. Upon a closer examination Sayid saw that the tarp of Sawyer's tent was gone.

"Can I at least ask you what you were doing?" he said as he picked up the basket he had asked Sawyer to fill the previously night.

"A boar came and attacked me…" Sawyer said angrily. "It stared at me then it came at me, so I hit it, and it ran off into the jungle with my tarp. Then I had a look and saw that almost all my stuff was ruined."

"Why would a boar attack you?" Minta asked innocently.

"That's what I am trying to work out!" Sawyer almost snapped, but remembering who he was talking to he walked up to her and pecked her on the cheeks instead. "Well Sultana, Sayid told me that you have recovered, I hope so too. If I can help you anyway then I will.

"Meanwhile your humble servant offers you the use of any of his stuff."

"Including your tarp?" Minta teased, finding that she was able to laugh and joke again.

"So the boar took your tarp?" Sayid added, his lips twitched into a grin that mirrored the one on his wife's face. "Perhaps he wanted to go camping."

His hand covered her face and his breathings whispered right into her ears, the other hand held both her and their unborn child.

"It is done, my surprise to you."

A picnic was laid over a tartan cloth Sayid had borrowed from Sawyer. It wasn't much food, just a few slices of roasted pork with potatoes and a mixture of fruit salads. There was even two tiny glass of wine.

"I begged them from Sawyer." Sayid said, smiling he handed his wife a glass. "I thought a picnic might cheer you up."

Minta shook her head and put her wine glass down, leaning against Sayid she whispered: "Being with you is enough."

_Author's Note: I know that in reality it will probably be hard to find a guy who will just live with you for six years without asking for anything other then to hold you and kiss you, but I am a romantist . So this is my dream._


End file.
